Harvest: The 2005 harvest will go down in history as one of the biggest harvests EVER for Sequoia Grove, with tonnage up as much as 40%. Nothing in the weather patterns or in early fruit estimates predicted the large crop. Quality was excellent and fruit came in perfect for the style that Sequoia Grove is known for. The lower sugars from the cooler weather mean alcohols that are more in balance and the higher than normal natural acidity make a balanced wine that needs little manipulation. The long, cool growing season helped flavors develop beautifully and the large crop allowed us to have even more room to select only the best lots to for our final blends. Fruit sorting and skilled winemaking decisions were especially important components of this challenging year.

Description: Deep red-black in color with intense notes of blackberry and cedar, black pepper and cinnamon with slight hints of currant and crème soda. The wine flows easily across the tongue and is silky and lush with a lingering note of cassis.

Grapes: Grapes come from vineyards managed by our well-regarded growers in the Napa Valley from the northern St. Helena appellation all the way southeast to the Atlas Peak hills. Some are also from our own estate vineyards in Rutherford.Winemaking Practices:Hand-sorted fruit1-2 day cold soakInoculated with an assortment of French yeast strainsSmall batch fermentationsPumpovers 2-3 times per dayMalolactic fermentation in barrelsRacked two times before bottling